


a moment (teach me your ways)

by Prinzenhasserin



Category: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
Genre: Coda, F/M, Trick or Treat: Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-29
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-08-09 17:44:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16454489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prinzenhasserin/pseuds/Prinzenhasserin
Summary: Bethany doesn't like to be useless, and really, why was she the one whose only applicable skill was map-reading?





	a moment (teach me your ways)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Major](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Major/gifts).



"It’s kind of a bummer that I don’t have any useful skills," Bethany said into the loud noise of the helicopter so that nobody would be able to overhear. She liked to keep her moments of self-doubt away from other people who could exploit them.

The others were in the back busy with the weapons, while she was supposed to show Alex the way to the top. But the mountain was clearly visible from the skies, and once again she felt pretty useless. Well, not even pretty anymore, she thought morosely.

Bethany didn’t expect anyone to hear what she was saying through the thrumming noise of the rotor blades and the distracted hollering of Spencer’s new deep voice.

Which was why it was such a surprise when Alex spoke. "You do have useful skills," he said.

"You only say that because I’m a girl," was her instinctual reaction. Bethany knew exactly what kind of nonsense a guy could say to a girl, and even believe he meant it, while it being totally untrue. Usually, she didn’t mind false flattery. Somehow, when it meant the difference between life and death, she couldn’t quite convince herself that it was still kindly meant.

"Without you, we wouldn’t be able to read the maps!" he told her, quite earnestly.

"And what good was that," Bethany asked. "It’s not like we couldn’t just go up into the air and see the mountain for what it was! It’s a mountain! It’s clearly visible in space!"

Alex didn’t say anything to that. It told her she was right—which she knew anyway, but was still really terrible to realize in an environment where useful skills were _vital_. At least he didn’t try to placate her, the way some of her friends would. She had worked super hard at making herself marketable, but that didn’t help her here, now, did it? She crossed her arms over her breasts—and for once didn’t have to pay any attention to how it made her boobs look— and fumed.

"I have an idea," Alex said. "Would you… Come here, please." He was standing at the helm of the helicopter holding the steering sticks easy-as-you-please. His hair was windswept, and the tiny furrow between his eyes had disappeared once they’d taken to the air. He gestured towards the space between him and the steering holds. Bethany couldn’t, with his smile and his stupid face. It was unfair.

She stepped forward anyway. He was warm and solid behind her back, and she really wished she was her beautiful self, because then she could turn her head slightly, and use the scent of her soft feminine shampoo to— She focused on the windscreen in front of her, and through that, on the truly spectacular mountainside. The view was breathtaking, and she had never considered how _cool_ nature was.

"Rest your hands on the handlebars," Alex said into her ear. He wasn't intentionally seductive, at least Bethany didn't think so, since for all appearance's sake she was a pudgy old white dude, but he had that look and his voice, and basically: Bethany was a goner. She did as he said, and he covered her hands with his. Feelings ran down her spine.

"Now gently," he whispered, and Bethany felt it down to her bones. He was guiding the helicopter through the sharp mountains on both sides of the ravine. When he let go, Bethany swerved the copter, but before she could panic she had straightened it out again. "See," Alex told her smugly. "Anyone can do what I can—and I already died two times attempting this, so really, you're doing better than me!"

Bethany felt the helicopter dip down, and saw the flying flock of birds before they swooped down to attack the rotor blades. "Take it back! Take it back!" she yelled, but during the swerve, Alex had stumbled, and now there was no competent person behind the steering wheel—only her. "What the fuck, what the fuck," she chanted, maneuvering the helicopter into a more-or-less straight line. 

"Keep steady!" Spencer shouted, and did something weird, until most of them had cleared out, and Bethany could see that they were heading directly towards a mountain spire. "ALEX!" she yelled, just as she yanked the handlebars to her right. The helicopter reacted immediately. Only the noise of nails scratching on chalkboard—except 100 times more obnoxious—told her that she had barely managed to turn at the brink of collusion. 

A shaky breath escaped her. Then, Alex's arms wrapped around her and enveloped her hands. Her fingers were cramping, so much had she clenched them around the handholds. "You're amazing, Bethany," Alex said. "You don't panic in a crisis. You just...continue doing your thing."

Bethany laughed, hysterically. "I panicked! I panicked a lot!" She leaned into the comforting warmth of Alex, however, and let him try to convince her that she wasn't really absolutely useless in a crisis. But she would do better—she was going to learn.


End file.
